<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Hermit by countingpaperstars</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22634083">The Hermit</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/countingpaperstars/pseuds/countingpaperstars'>countingpaperstars</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Afterlife, Gen, Reunions, Tarot, the hermit - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 10:09:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>390</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22634083</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/countingpaperstars/pseuds/countingpaperstars</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Carbuncle guides their king one last time.</p>
<p>Submission for the FFXV Tarot Project.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Tides of Fate: A FFXV Tarot Project</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Hermit</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>We got the okay to post our submissions for <a href="https://twitter.com/ffxvtarot?lang=en">Tides of Fate: A FFXV Tarot Project</a>, so here's mine! I had a lot of fun collaborating with Jax, and you can find her art piece that goes along with this right <a href="https://twitter.com/artofjax/status/1224758829965086721?s=20">here</a>!</p>
<p>Enjoy~</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Are you ready?</strong>
</p>
<p>Carbuncle tilts their head, watching Noctis standing dazed in the sunlight cascading through the broken Citadel wall. He descends the stairs with unsure footing and when their eyes meet Carbuncle sees the young boy who needed guidance tucked behind aged hardships.</p>
<p>“Is anyone ever ready?” he asks.</p>
<p>Squeaking a laugh, Carbuncle leads him down the hall. They pick their way through the rubble, the click of Noctis’ shoes echoing as he follows. The door to the throne room swings open and they step onto a bed of grass, leaves brushing against them as Carbuncle carves a path through the forest.</p>
<p>It’s been a long time since they’ve been together like this. Noctis has grown into a man, years packed upon his shoulders, but the further they’re enveloped into the woods the taller he stands. By the time they reach the havenstone he’s softened to a mere twenty years, face youthful but his eyes full of memories.</p>
<p>The runes lie dark and faded beneath the camping chairs gathered by an empty fire pit and Carbuncle sits, content to let Noctis have his time. He wipes his eyes with a nod and they approach the lake that lies beyond the campsite, fishing poles leaning against the chairs propped up near the shore. The Regalia gleams where it’s parked beside them and Noctis sets his hand upon the door.</p>
<p>“This was home,” he says, “with dad. And the guys.” His fingers slip, smaller than before, as his voice softens in pitch. He rises to his tiptoes to peer inside the car before stepping away.</p>
<p>Noctis’ strides shorten and Carbuncle slows so as not to lose him. Throughout the years they’ve steadied the young king on his path, leading the way when he faltered, but a semblance of guilt pinches in their chest. They wish they could have done more to challenge the path of fate.</p>
<p>The forest tumbles into a field of swaying Sylleblossoms and in the distance a red blanket lies stark against the sea of blue, a group of kids gathered on it.</p>
<p>“Is that…?”</p>
<p>Breath catching, Noctis raises a small hand to shield his eyes.</p>
<p>
  <strong>Go.</strong>
</p>
<p>Carbuncle stands back as he sprints across the field, slamming into his friends and tumbling down together in a pile of carefree laughter. This, at least, they could do for him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading &lt;3 Let me know your thoughts?</p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/countpaperstars">twitter</a> | <a href="http://countingpaperstars.tumblr.com">writing blog</a> | <a href="http://thenameisfame.tumblr.com">tumblr</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>